ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · prune · toast · branch · cap · spell · bark · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. spell — letters
  5. cap — a hat
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spell — magic
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bark — to shout
  10. cap — a lid
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. prune — to trim
  14. toast — bread
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cap — of ice
  19. kick — in football
  20. branch — a division
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. spell — a short time
  24. toast — a drink to someone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com